Top Esports Games to Watch in 2018

Esports: they’re the pinnacle of the streaming world right now. Each major streaming platform averages millions of viewers and more than ten million views every single day. These platforms easily out-perform the NBA, NFL, and MLB on a daily basis.

That being said, esports are always expanding and that means it can be hard to find something to watch sometimes. There are so many different genres and in those different genres, you have many different games that are being watched.

For example, if you want to watch an FPS (First Person Shooter) you might go to CS:GO or Call of Duty but if you want to watch a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), you might want to watch DOTA 2 or League of Legends.

The list ranges from different FPSs to MOBAs to games which combine aspects of both. I can ensure that every single one of the games on this list have been carefully chosen for your viewing pleasure. Esports is meant to be exciting and fast-paced and with every single esport on this list, you won’t experience one second of boredom.

6. Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA 2)

In the past few years, MOBAs have taken over the game and you can thank DOTA 2 for this. When DOTA 2 was introduced to the then developing esports field, it took off. The game began to take superstar status in areas like Europe and Korea, with the best players becoming celebrities and making millions off of their craft.

Why is this? Defense of the Ancients 2 came in at a critical moment when FPS games were stepping out of the spotlight and gamers were looking for a new game to center around their lives. DOTA 2 did just that.

Bringing with it a new exciting theme to watch, DOTA 2 quickly brought in millions of viewers to both the recreational streams and the competitive tournaments. They had something that the First Person Shooters didn’t. They had a wide array of characters players could choose from and a whole new map that brought plenty of action.

To this day, DOTA 2 is still racking in millions of viewers but not to the scale that League of Legends has. However, there’s still one thing that they’re unmatched in and that’s prize money. It’s not uncommon to see a DOTA 2 tournament give away more than ten million dollars in prize money. In fact, that’s a common occurrence.

They may not be the top game in the current day and age but they’re definitely top five and without DOTA 2, esports wouldn’t be where they are today. They helped craft esports into some international and streamlined it to something that could rival mainstream media and this was all thanks to the refreshing gameplay it provided to the audience.

5. Fortnite

Fortnite is one of the newest games on this list but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the traction and entertainment needed to make it a top tier video game and believe me, this game is definitely up there with some of the greats.

Despite being one of the newest releases in the video game world, Fortnite’s average stream numbers make it look like a seasoned veteran. There are days that go by where Fortnite will average more than one million views on Twitch alone in a day and over four hundred thousand viewers.

Names like Drake and Marshmello have been known to support the game and local tournaments are brought out by internet gurus who have tens of millions of followers behind them. While most games take years in order to reach this level of notoriety, it only took Fortnite less than a year.

But what makes Fortnite such an enjoyable and leisurely game to watch? What makes it so that Fortnite deserves all the attention it’s been getting? Like DOTA 2 when it was first introduced onto the scene, Fortnite provided something to the gamers: something fresh.

Fortnite works such that you have a maximum of one hundred players dropping onto an island in a free-for-all situation where anything goes. On the island you can collect items, weapons, and resources such as wood, brick, and stone in order to help you become the last man standing which is the overall goal of the game.

While PUBG (Player Unknown’s Battleground) became the first game to do implement a game like this, they didn’t have the vibrant excitement that Fortnite brought and this in turn, made it the go-to free-for-all game that dominates the current streaming platforms.

While it hasn’t formed a solidified esports department, all of these small-scale tournaments are still extremely fun to watch and sometimes, you can even get the opportunity to bet on one of these games, meaning that you have the opportunity to make it big before such a large game like Fortnite explodes into the next big esport.

4. Hearthstone

Card games are extremely underrated when it comes to the esports industry but Hearthstone has been one of the game which have really taken hold and planted their roots in the community. That being said, there’s no way this game will be going away anytime soon and there are two major reasons behind this.

One is that Hearthstone is a game which was developed by Blizzard Entertainment, a video game company which is very good at what they do. Not only are they extremely good at making high-quality video games, they know how to maintain the nature of the esport for that respective video game and it’s been apparent for Hearthstone.

The game hasn’t faltered since its release and Hearthstone doesn’t look like it’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. The second reason is that Hearthstone is the only current major card game in the industry so therefore, with no competition to challenge them, Hearthstone can do whatever they want and they’ve been doing everything right.

Furthermore, with the exciting visuals and gameplay it offers, Hearthstone also provides a nostalgic experience for fans who have had experience with former Blizzard games, most notably World of Warcraft.

If you’re looking for something unique but stable, I highly recommend you choose Hearthstone as your next game to watch. It already has one of the most established communities in the esports community and the fact that it’s the only major card-based esport right now makes it all the more entertaining.

3. Overwatch

When you imagine Overwatch, you probably imagine iconic characters like Soldier 76 or Tracer from the in-game playable characters. However, the themes behind Overwatch are much more complex. It’s as if Blizzard Entertainment beautifully meshed together the teamwork aspect behind MOBAs and the exciting fast-paced shooting from FPSs and created one extremely awesome game.

Most games have one theme. Overwatch has multiple. First off, they have the major theme of first-person shooting from FPSs but they also have aspects from MOBAs such as League of Legends and DOTA 2.

Each champion has abilities which go on cooldown when used and also have an ultimate once charged up completely. The map is also designed to force champions to play their specific roles or work together as a team in order to complete an objective.

Furthermore, Overwatch also has a set esports field already. Despite only releasing a few years back, Overwatch has already garnered millions of viewers and has become one of the top esports games alongside names like DOTA 2 and Fortnite.

In almost every aspect possible, Overwatch is the perfect pick to go to. Its gameplay is completely unique from other first person shooters and it already has a set esports scene for diehard fans to watch and bet on.

It’s also one of the best games Blizzard Entertainment has released to this day. You don’t want to miss out on a game like this because I can guarantee you that a game like Overwatch is a game that comes every ten years and if you miss the train, then you’re going to miss out on something big.

2. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

One thing that makes Counter-Strike such a good prospect to choose when it comes to esports is the fact that CS:GO has been doing this for a really long time. In fact, you could say they were the frontiersmen of esports.

Every year, they attract more than ten million viewers across all streaming platforms to their game for the biggest tournaments available. They attract millions of views daily and have some of the biggest franchises endorsing the game.

Why is this? The gameplay is simply phenomenal and because of this, there’s no way that CS:GO couldn’t have made it to the big league. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has so many traits and keys to it that CS:GO’s description itself makes it a game which wants to be played by everyone.

CS:GO essentially works such that one team is trying to eliminate all the players while the other is trying to defuse a bomb. With the map being so complex and centered around positioning, one small mistake could mean the end of your life and the loss of that round.

If you’re looking to bet on CS:GO, then you’re in even more luck. CS:GO has, by far, one of the biggest betting communities on the internet itself, even rivalling some of the biggest sports betting networks. They’re one of the biggest pieces as to why esports betting is a thing nowadays.

Any bettor, whether they’re a novice or a veteran, can come in and take a shot at the money and almost always leave with some type of satisfaction. This game has been doing esports for so long that watching the game is like watching years of experience develop before your eyes and let me tell you, it’s one of the most beautiful things any avid gamer or bettor could ever want.

1. League of Legends

It would be a crime to not put League of Legends on this list. They’re currently the biggest esport on the planet and they don’t have plans of stopping. They’re endorsed by dozens of high-stake companies and in some countries, the best of the best are regarded to as top-tier celebrities.

Names like South Korea Telecom’s Faker have been displayed on Coca-Cola bottles and have appeared on several Korean ads. He’s regarded as a hero and celebrity on the street and is looked up to by millions on the internet.

In China, Royal Never Give Up’s Uzi has also reached the same status, becoming a celebrity for the gamer that he is. In China, when people say Uzi, they don’t think of a gun. They think of Jian Zihao, the man who created the alias Uzi to dominate League of Legends.

They out-rival all their competitors because they have the best of everything. They have the best esports model. They have the best graphics. They have the best players and they even have the best studio when it comes to streaming the game.

Everything seems so professional. There’s no doubt that they put a lot of care into the game and they’ve reaped what they have sowed. They know that League of Legends is an extremely exciting game that millions of people tune into watch so they capitalize off of it.

Like DOTA 2, League of Legends has a large champion pool to choose from but Riot Games—the creators behind League of Legends—made sure that each champion had something different and exciting compared to DOTA 2’s champions. They also made the graphics much crisper and cleaner with several changes being made here and there to ensure that the game was always improving.

It also seems to be faster and more action-packed than DOTA 2. This may be to the better graphics but in the end, an audience wants excitement and League of Legends delivers that every time they stream a competitive match.

So, whether you’re looking for an exciting time or just looking to profit some money, League of Legends is, so far, the best option you can choose. They’re the leader in this wave of esports and only a fool wouldn’t watch the game that is helping develop esports into one of the most-watched industries on the planet.

Conclusion

Esports: Ten years ago, that term would’ve meant nothing to the average being. Esports were the laughingstock of mainstream media outlets and they were seen as no more than a center of attention for teenagers who took gaming too seriously.

But now, esports is the new wave and it’s developing quicker than most people can fathom. It’s already created a fanbase that goes into the hundreds of millions and as it continues developing, it could soon rule the entire world.

Now, with the list compiled down to your five best options, you shouldn’t have any trouble choosing what to watch on a Saturday morning on your coach or in your office. I have no doubt that once you start watching esports, you’ll understand why it’s become such a global phenomenon. After all, esports is the future and you could soon become a part of it.